Yevgraf Sorokin

Born: 1821, Bolshie Soli (Kostroma Province)

Died: 1892, Moscow

Painter, teacher. Studied under an icon-painter from Yaroslavl and decorated churches (1840). Painted a picture of Peter the Great spotting a talented artist (Andrei Matveyev), which was shown to Tsar Nicholas I, who recommended him to the Imperial Academy of Arts (1841). Studied under Alexei Markov and Karl Brullov at the Imperial Academy of Arts (1841–49). Awarded minor silver medals (1843, 1845), major silver medal (1845), minor gold medal (1847), major gold medal (1849) and a foreign fellowship (1850). Lived and worked in Spain (1851–54) and Italy (1855–59), visited Germany, Belgium, France, Syria and Egypt. Returned to Russia (1859) and taught at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture (1859–92). Painted icons and frescoes for the Cathédrale Saint-Alexandre-Nevsky in Paris (late 1850s) and the Church of Christ the Saviour in Moscow (1860s–70s). Academician (1861), professor (1878).